The next day Roman grabbed his bag to head to school. Joey was already seated at the table eating her cereal. He kissed the top of her head.
"Good morning my baby", he said.
She smiled up at him. Thea walked in and stopped when they made eye contact. She went for the coffee pot. Roman approached her.
"About last night...", he said softly.
"What? Nothing happened", she said.
He nodded.
"I can drop off Joey if you want?", he asked.
"That would be great", she said.
Roman nodded. He stepped closer to her to grab a cup of coffee.
"So um...", she cut him off.
"Joey, lets go", she shouted behind her.
"I'm right here mommy", Joey said from the table.
Thea smiled and nodded before moving away from Roman. He smirked.
"The kiss was good by the way", he whispered to her before passing her.
She looked up at him and he winked.
"Get your bag kiddo, I'm dropping you off at your aunts", Roman said.
Joey did as she was told before going over to her mom and kissing her cheek.
"Love you", Thea called out to her.
"We love you too", Roman replied, before walking out.
Her heart was beating fast at that and she felt tears welling up in her eyes. She leaned against the counter.
"Why do you have to do this to me", she whispered.
"Do what?", Dean asked, walking into the kitchen.
He watched her wipe her cheeks before turning away from him. He knew why she was crying.
"I didn't know you were still home", she said, wiping the counter.
"Thea, its okay", he said softly.
She stopped and shook her head no.
"Its not. I remember everything and he doesn't, its so easy for him, because he's not in love with me like he was before. I am. I feel everything", she said.
Dean walked up to her and hugged her tight. Dean made a mental note to talk to his brother about having boundaries with Thea. Especially if he wasn't planning on starting something with her. It wasn't fair to her.
She pulled away from him.
"I should finish getting ready for work", Thea said.
Dean nodded.
Roman wasn't really paying attention to what the professor was saying. His mind was on that kiss with Thea.
He had felt something, no woman had ever made him feel. Its like his entire body remembered her, but his brain.
Then that kiss was replaced by the date she had planned with that cop.
He wondered if she would be willing to date him and that cop. He had pushed his family away for her, why? He wanted to find out.
He cleared his throat and focused back on the class.
Thea got a surprise visit from Renee. Her sister in law walked in with a home cooked lunch.
"Your brother couldn't make it, so I brought it to you", she said.
Thea laughed softly.
"I can never say no to your cooking", Thea said.
Renee grabbed a chair and sat at the desk with her. Handing Thea a container with Ravioli and a salad for the side.
"My brother didn't come home to this", Thea said, after swallowing a bite.
Renee laughed.
"Right", she said.
After she took another bite, she looked at her sister in law.
"So how are you?", Renee asked.
Thea smiled and nodded.
"I'm good", she replied.
Renee gave her a look.
"Really? I mean it, we could always talk. Tell me, Thea", Renee said.
Thea sighed and moved some Ravioli around.
"Its hard, I'm trying not to break down in front of him or Joey. He would just freak out and probably leave again. Joey, it would break her heart", Thea said.
Renee squeezed her hand.
"I see him and its like, he's my Roman, but then he opens his mouth and I'm reminded that he's not. Then the way he is with Joey is how I always imagined he would be when we had kids.", she said.
Renee nodded.
"I want to yell at him, just remember me. We love each other, you gave up a great life in New York for me. Just remember me", Thea said softly.
Renee wrapped her arms around Thea.
"And your husband, don't even get me started on him", Thea said, wiping her cheeks and sniffling.
"Oh no, what did he do now?", Renee asked jokingly.
"He decided to tell the cop from Roman's accident that I was single and ready to mingle. He showed up at my house, while Roman was there to ask me out", Thea said.
"I told him not too. I swear its like he doesn't think these things through sometimes. I told him we should talk to you first and if you weren't ready then we leave it alone. He's lucky I love him", Renee said.
Thea laughed softly.
"Then", Thea started.
"Then?", Renee asked, sitting up excited.
"Roman kissed me, or well, I kissed him, or maybe he did, I don't know, but we kissed.", she said.
Renee squealed happily.
"And?", she asked.
"He said he liked it and was flirting this morning", Thea said.
"What would you say if he asked to try this, well again in your case?", Renee asked.
"I would say yes. If he fell in love with me once, he could again", Thea said, smiling.
Renee nodded.
"We just want to see that smile on your face again. Whether its Roman or this cop who puts it there, we don't care. Although I would prefer it to be Roman", Renee said.
Thea smiled.
"Me too", Thea said softly.
Roman went to meet Dean for lunch. Dean wiped his hands after washing off the grease stains.
"I'm starving", Dean said, as Roman handed him a sandwich he grabbed from the deli.
Roman chuckled. Dean took a bite.
"So, I was thinking about asking Thea out on a date", Roman said.
Dean stopped chewing and met his brother's eyes.
"We kissed Dean. I felt something, my body felt something. Its like, I can't explain it, but it feels special", Roman said with a smile.
Dean raised a brow and smirked.
"What?", Roman asked.
His brother swallowed and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"You've said all this to me before. After your first date with her. You came home and told me", Dean said.
Roman smiled, then it fell.
"I wish I could remember it. For her, for me", Roman said softly.
"I know brother.", Dean said, patting his back.
"If I can't remember it, then I want to create new memories with her, with Joey. As a family", Roman said.
"And you will Rome. Just ease up okay. You have to remember that she hasn't forgotten your time together. Its hard on her because she doesn't want to get her hopes up and then loses you all over again", Dean said.
Roman nodded.
"She has that damn date with the cop", Roman mumbled.
Dean chuckled.
"You dated, two different women I might add", Dean said.
"And none of them were right for me. They don't make me feel like I could fly with just a kiss", Roman said.
Dean smiled.
"That's the same feeling I get when I kiss Brie", he said.
Roman nodded.
"I'm going to do it, I'm going to ask her out. I'll even tell her she can date this cop guy and leave it up to her who she wants to be with", Roman said.
"And you won't get jealous?", Dean asked.
Roman bit his sandwich. He shrugged and swallowed.
"I guess we'll find out huh", Roman said.
Thea drove to Nikki's house to pick up Joey. Nikki looked confused.
"My daughter, your niece", I said.
"Roman picked her up. He got out of class early", Nikki said.
"Oh, he didn't tell me", Thea said.
"Are you okay?", Nikki asked.
"Yeah, just, been having a hard few days", Thea sighed.
Nikki hugged her little sister.
"I love you and if you ever just need a day alone, call me and we can take Joey for the night. We're family and I'm not going to leave you hanging", Nikki said.
"I know", Thea replied.
"Get home safe", Nikki said.
Thea nodded and left. Getting home, the house smelled really good. Thea stepped into the kitchen to see Roman and Joey with aprons.
"Mommy, we're making you dinner", Joey said happily.
Thea smiled.
"Smells good", Thea said.
"Meat loaf, green beans, and mashed potatoes. A salad on the side", Roman said.
Joey nodded and ate a carrot.
"How was work?", Roman asked, wiping his hands on a napkin and walking over to her.
"Fine. Pretty easy today, kids were wiped out after lunch", Thea said.
He smiled.
"Where are Brie and Dean?", she asked.
"Went to a movie. Wanted to give us some family time", he said.
She nodded.
"Well, I'm going to go take a quick shower", she said.
"Want some company?", he asked, biting his lip.
He was flirting again. After talking to Renee, she wasn't going to let him go again.
"Then who would watch Joey", she said, before winking.
He licked his lips before smiling. She disappeared upstairs. He looked back at Joey and watched her stir the gravy.
He always imagined that when he had a family, he would do whatever it took to keep his family together.